Device for the automatic operation of the correcting apparatus in the superposition of images in color cinematography



April 22, 1924. 1,490,979

DEVICE FOR THE AUTOM THE CORRECTING APPARATUS IN THE SUPERPOSITION 0F IMAGES IN COLOR CINEMATOGRAPHY L A l E L A 4 Wm w T M M 0 E e Aw u MC F .I cm

Fig!

mmmmmu lnmmmmm 1 ATTORNEYfi Patented Apr. 22, 1924.

arren STATE s PATENT orrlca.

GEORGES KABESOHAL- AND KESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO EASTMAN KODA KK COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK. I

pEvIcE Eon. TILE AUTOMATIC OPERATION or mini CORRECTING ArrARATus SUPERPOSITION OI IN THE IN COLOR CIINEMATOGRAPHY.

1 a li ation filed Kay 4, 1921. Serial no. 466,635.

To all whom it concern: I

' Be it known that we, GEoRGEs MARESOHAL and '-HENRY ASCHEL, both citizens of the Republic of France, residing in Paris,

I France, have invented new and useful Imgrovements in- Devices for the Automatic the. Superposition of Images in Color Cinematography, which is-fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to a device for the automatic operation or maneuveringof the correcting apparatus described in United States Patent Nos. 1,223,381 and 1,233,772 II and in United States atent application Serial No. 369,637 of arch 29, 1920, for automatically obtaining the necessary corrections of superposition after the first matching operation has been effected, without requiring-any hand manipulation of the correcting apparatus, except for the proper control. s

'Thedevice is based upon the following principle: A paper band traveling with a movement which is in exact cooperation with the movement of the motion picture film, is provided with perforations which are previously formed as hereinafter setQforth at :0 all required points in such manner as to permit ofestablishing electric contacts at the proper time which are substituted for the contacts which would have been made by a hand operation of the said correcting 86 alpparatus; The location and the length of e said' perforations will thus determine the moment during the travel of. the film at which a'correction is to be made, and likewise the duration of the said correction. The followingdescription together with the accompanying-drawings show, by way of example, an embodiment. ofthis invention. Q .Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of th! device. 4 t

Fig. 2 is a diagram showingthe method ofreparing the paper-band.

'3 is a front elevation of a roller brus'li'and Fig. 4 is a so device shown in The shafta of 't rejection apparatus bevel or worm gear-in side elevation of the actuates by means of on the one hand a peration of the Correcting Apparatus in unrolled length of the *inder' b is connected by a. I e motor of the screen.

-thecylinder 6, and the toothed metal cylinder 6 used to draw along the paper-band in the same manner as the filni is drawn ina motion picture apparatus, and on the other hand a receiving spool a. A spool (Z disposed on the other side of the cylinder 6 is used as the source of supply.- As shown in the drawings, the device is actuated ,by two Worm wheels e f secured to the shaft a and engaging respectively the two worm gears 9]? upon the shafts Whereof are respectively mounted the cylinder 6 and the receiving spool 0.

' The metal cylinder. 5 is'preferably sil- HENRY ASGH EL; OF PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNORS, BY

vered' in order to obtain. a good electric band shall be his determined ratio to the for instance it may be one-twentieth of the latter, this being suflicientto provider for the requisite length of the perforations whereby a reliable electriccontact is afforded. The receiving spool actuated by the WOIlll gearing f k isithereby given a speed which is slightly latter is so regulated that only a moderate tension shall be given to the .band, this be,- ing in ,fact the method used for the film receiving device in the screen projection apparatus.

Upon the contact cylinder b are caused to bear eight brushes Z with silver contacts,

, application, the "electro-magnets bear the reference-l8 and 19.. Furthermore, the cylthe common wire n either with the metal framework or with the said velectro-magnets'.

When the paper is caused to ass between -the cylinder and the said brus es, no electrio contact can take place, but upon the as- .sage of a perforation, the correspon' brush will establish the electric contact with electro-magnet 0011- motion picture film, I

above what is neces-. sary for taking up the whole amount ofthe' paper band fed by the cylinder-b, but: the said spool is actuated by friction, and the trolled by the said brush will be caused to act during a length of time which is proportional to the length of this perforat on.

Inasmuch as the screen projection apparatus as well as this automatic control device are actuated by the same motor, and likewise the correcting apparatus proper, the variations of speed will have no effect upon the matching, that is, upon the superposian electro-magnet g which is connected 1n,

shunt upon one of the electro-magnets of the matching device or correcting apparatus proper. A return spring 1" serves to raise. the said pointed member when the electromagnet ceases to act.

'Under these conditions, upon unwinding a film for the first time, each correction is recorded by the pointed members 1) and the line thus drawn is proportional to the duration of the contact. It will then suffice to replace these lines by suitable perforations,-

and this may be carried out in various ways, for instance by simply cutting out the paper by,hand or by a perforating machine provided with a 1 millimetre punch, moving the band along at the same time by millimeter steps in order to form a continuous slot. The recording operation may likewise be effected in a very simple manner andwithout requiring the use of a. magnet recording device, by making use of a paper band impregnated with a chemical substance which gives rise to a colored mark upon the passage of the current, and upon which the brushes inscribe a red line when the corresponding electro-magnets are caused to act.

. The said brushes may be constituted by milled wheels of silver which roll upon thepaper and make electric contact with a cylinder which is heavily silvered.

This apparatus possesses the following advantages:

1.-It aiiords a means for effecting displacement or lead of the operations of matching or connection whereby these operations shall be automatically carried out by the apparatus during the passage of a sub-title and in this manner the film a pears in an exactly matched state imm iately after the passage of the first ima c, this result being obtained by a forwar displacement of the perforations of the paper band in such manner that the electric contacts take place during the passage of the title.

2.While operating, means are afforded for reparing durin the rehearsal a perforatedpaper strip or matching purposes whereby an entirely automatic actlon of the correction or the superposition of the three images is obtained at each performance.

3.-Correction by hand may still be car- .ried out, and this will always take the precedence over the automatic correction, by reason of the resistance of the electro-magnets of the correcting apparatus; In the event of an accidental stoppage of the device used for the automatic operation of the correcting apparatus, or of an error in one of the perforations thereof, means are afforded for correcting this error in an instantaneous manner by the use of the hand- 'operated matching or correcting device without requiring any uncoupling of the automatic operating device and without interfering in any way with the regulation there-' of as concerns the subsequent actuatin op- 'erations which it is called upon to per orm. At any instant during the screen projection, it will be possible to employ the hand operation for making any necessary corrections.

4.The changes to be made in any motion picture outfit are but of a sli htnature and can be rapidly carried out. he additional parts consist merely of a few gear wheels and toothed drums. The paper band used for matching purposes is easilypre ared and is inexpensive. A given series .o pictures maybe modified without any com lication, inasmuch as it will sufiice to modify the film and the said paper band" in parallel fashion.

a To provide for the screen projection of any kind of three-color films in an indeterminate order by means of the automatic 'matching apparatus, it is necessary that upon the termination of each film the apparatus shall act by its proper means to restore all the actuating devices used for adjustment to a fixed and constant point, that is, that the three projection lenses or objectives shall occupy a determined position, for instance with their 0 tical axes situated parallel to each other an in the same vertical plane. v

This result may be obtained, at the time of preparing the paper band for matching purposes, by gluing to the end of the film after the makers display sign, a section of film obtained using a motion picture b camera to reproduce a cross or like station- A ary marking point. 7 This marked band is projected upon the screen, and the operator superposes the images of the three crosses projected by the three. lenses and obtains the exact coincidence of the same,,this operation being carried out by usi the handle of the correcting apparatus. The r uired superposition is to be effected, after t e removal of the matched band, by the automatic actuating device of the correctin apparatus itself during the passage 0 the makers display sign and the preliminary connecting portion. I

The device used for the automatic control or operation of the correcting apparatus as hereinbefore described may be .employed with acorrecting apparatus of any suitable character other than the device described in the patent application Serial No. 369,637 filed on March 29, 1920.

Having thus described the nature of our said invention and the best means we know of carrying the same into efl'ect, we claim:

1. An automatic actuating and maneuvering device applicable to correcting apparatus used for-the exact superposition of images in color photography, said device comprising a suitably perforated flexible non-conductive band, a conductive surface under the band, means for givi to said 'band a movement over the cond 'tive sur face in synchronism with the movement of the film, metal contact members which are caused to bear upon the said band whereby electric contacts shall be automatically produced through the perforations of the band,

said contacts closing circuits for controlling the correcting apparatus.

2. An automatic actuating and maneuvering device applicable to correcting apparatus used for the exact superposition of images in color photography, said device comprising a metal cylinder provided with teeth upon the edges, a flexible band engaging the said teeth of the cylinder, a winding cylinder for said band, means for rotating said winding cylinder and the first-mentioned cylinder by the motor employed for the travel of the film in the screen projection apparatus, whereby the paper band will travel in v synchronism with the film, brushes connected with the circuits of the electromagnets of the correcting apparatus, and adapted to bear upon'the said 'flexible :band, perforations formed in said. band whereby electric contacts shall be produced between said brushes and the cylinders for energizing the corresponding electromagnets of the correcting apparatus.

In rtestimony whereof we have signed this specification.

GEORGES MARESCHAL. HENRY I ASCI -IEL. 

